The limit of background processes on Xiaomi: how many can you run and how to change

Have you noticed that apps on your Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco smartphone often shut down on their own? Or do notifications come with a delay? MIUI. The manufacturer artificially limits the number of simultaneous tasks to save battery power and system resources, but for many users this becomes a real problem: messengers do not update on time, music is interrupted, and geolocation malfunctions.

In this article, we will look at how many background processes allow MIUI In different versions of the firmware, how to check the current limit on your device and – most importantly – how to increase it without root rights. You will also learn which Xiaomi models are most susceptible to this problem and which alternative solutions will help to keep applications working without compromising autonomy.

What is the limit of background processes and why it is necessary

Background processes are the tasks that applications perform when you're not interacting with them directly.

• 📩 Updating notifications in Telegram or WhatsApp
• 🎵 Playing music in Spotify or Yandex Music with a locked screen
• 📍 Location tracking in Google Maps or Yandex Maps
• 🔄 Synchronize data in Google Drive or Mi Cloud

Shell MIUI aggressively limit the number of such processes:

1. Extend battery life (background tasks consume up to 15-20% day-load).
2. Free RAM for active applications (especially relevant for budget models with a high-end memory). 2-4 GB RAM).
3. Reduce the heat of the processor during long-term operation.

However, these restrictions often become excessive. MIUI 12-14 The default limit is all the 2-4 This is a process for most applications, which means that if you're listening to music in the background (1 process) and wait for a message in the messenger (1 the process, then geolocation in the navigator or synchronization of the cloud will be forcibly stopped by the system.

How many background processes are allowed MIUI: version-sheet

The number of permitted background processes depends on the version MIUI, The following is the current table of limits for the most common versions of the shell:

It is important to note that the actual number of processes running may be smaller due to:

• 🔋 Power saving mode (onset automatically at 15% charge).
• 📱 Optimizations for a specific model (for example, the Redmi Note 10 limit is stricter than the Xiaomi 13 Pro).
• 🔄 Security Updates (sometimes Xiaomi tightens restrictions through patches).

💡

To find out the current version MIUI, Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI. If the name has a letter C at the end of the name (for example, MIUI 14.0.5 CN) — You have Chinese firmware with stricter restrictions.

How to Check the Current Background Process Limit on Xiaomi

Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not provide a direct way to see the current limit in the settings, but there are a few indirect methods:

Method 1: Through the Developer Menu

Activate the Developer Mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version.
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
4. Find the limit of background processes (in some versions it is hidden).

If there is no paragraph, use it. ADB-team:

adb shell settings get global bg_process_limit

It will return the current value (e.g. 3 means a limit of 3 processes).

Method 2: Through Third Party Applications

Utility like Greenify or Background Process Limit (available on Google Play) can show you:

• 📊 Current number of active background processes.
• 🔍 List of applications that have been forcibly stopped by the system.
• ⚡ Energy consumption by each process.

How to increase the limit of background processes without root rights

If standard settings are not enough, you can manually increase the limit using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge – This method works on all Xiaomi devices without the need for root access.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Put the debugging on. USB: Go to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers and activate debugging by USB.
2. Connect your phone to your PC: Use the original cable. On your phone, select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
3. Install. ADB-Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
4. Start the command line: In the folder with platform-tools, click Shift + Select Open the PowerShell window here.
5. Adb devices adb shell settings put global bg_process_limit 8 Replace. 8 at the right value (maximum — 12 for most devices).

Install drivers ADB PC-only|Enable debugging on USB phone-on|Connect your phone to the original cable|Download Platform Tools from Google’s official website|Start the command line on behalf of the administrator-->

Important! When you restart the device, the limit may reset. To record the changes, do this:

adb shell cmd device_config put activity_manager max_cached_processes 8

Alternative means

If ADB It seems complicated, try it:

• 🛠️ Change the priority of the application: C Settings → Select the application you want (e.g. Telegram) and install No Limits in the Battery section.
• 🔄 Turn off optimization MIUI: In the developer menu, deactivate optimization MIUI (This can lead to increased battery consumption).
• 📱 Use third-party launchers: Some launchers (like Nova Launcher) allow you to bypass restrictions MIUI for selected applications.

💡

Increase the limit of background processes through ADB — The most effective method, but requires re-use after resetting settings or major updates MIUI.

Xiaomi models with the most stringent restrictions

Not all Xiaomi devices are equally restrictive of background processes, with the most stringent limits being observed for:

On the other hand, flagship models (Xiaomi) 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 2) They have a more relaxed limit, to 5-6 Default processes due to powerful hardware and more RAM.

💡

On devices with 6 GB of RAM and higher (for example, Xiaomi) 12 Pro limit can be increased to 10-12 No risk of lag, on budget models (2-3 GB RAM) is better not to exceed 5 Or else the system will start to slow down".

Risks and side effects of limit changes

An increase in the number of background processes can lead to:

• 🔋 Accelerated battery discharge (on 10-30% faster depending on the number of processes).
• 🐢 Slowing down the system, especially on devices with ≤4GB of RAM.
• 🔥 Overheating of the processor during prolonged operation in the background (relevant to Snapdragon) 6xx/7xx).
• 🛑 Spontaneous reboots when the limit of 12 is exceeded+ processes.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 Android 13/14 forced increase of the limit 8 processes may cause disruptions in the work of Google Services, which will lead to problems with notifications and account synchronization.

To minimize the risks:

1. Increase the limit gradually (start with 5 processes and watch for stability).
2. Use Greenify to hibernate unnecessary apps.
3. Turn off background activity for apps you don’t use (in battery settings).

Alternative solutions: how to get around the restrictions MIUI

If changing the limit didn’t help or you don’t want to risk the stability of the system, try these methods:

1.The use of the "White List" in MIUI

Add critical applications to the exceptions:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
2. Select the Apps and find the right one (such as WhatsApp).
3. Set up a No Limits mode.

Auto-launching of applications

Enable auto-start for important services:

1. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Autostart control.
2. Activate auto-run for instant messengers, navigators and other critical applications.

3. Third-party utilities

Applications for Background Process Management:

• 🛠️ Greenify – suspends unnecessary processes, leaving only selected processes active.
• ⚡ Battery Optimizer – allows you to fine-tune optimization for each application.
• 🔄 AutoStart – manages autostart and background activity.

⚠️ Note: Some utility (for example, MIUI Optimizers require root rights and can disrupt the system, only use them if you understand the risks!

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Background Processes in Xiaomi